Fraternising With the Enemy
by edwart
Summary: When Tanya decides to visit the Cullens for a week, Bella begins to feel intimidated, left out, and totally out of place. OOC at times for many characters. Set between Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Sad in parts.
1. Greetings

_Summary: Tanya decides to visit the Cullens for a week, much to Bella's dismay, as she finds herself feeling incredibly left out. Set between Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Some characters possibly OOC._

_I do not in any way own 'Twilight', the characters or anything. This is purely for fun, and for entertainment purposes only._

* * *

BPOV

I had never met Tanya before, nor had I seen a picture. Despite this, I found it easy to conjure up images in my mind of what she'd look like.

_Pale, taller than me, golden eyes, long strawberry blond hair, full lips, huge eyes, full cheeks…Beautiful._

Aside from her physical appearance, I knew she'd outshine me in other ways as well. She was dangerous, dangerous to me not because she could kill me in three seconds flat; not because she could touch my face and at the same time crush my skull; not because she could pierce the flesh at the base of my neck and drink my blood. She was dangerous to me because I knew she could give Edward more than I could. She was immortal like him - they were equals in that way. Physically they matched.

So when Edward casually announced to me that she'd be spending an entire week with the Cullens - and Edward - I began to panic. Edward thought me silly for worrying about Tanya.

"_Bella, give her a chance - I think you two will become good friends."_

I sighed as I remembered our conversation: it hadn't ended well. I wouldn't call it an argument per se, more of a strongly worded disagreement. Despite not having seen eye-to-eye, Edward insisted that I meet her on her first day with them. I parked outside the Cullen's mansion and took a deep breath. I managed to calm myself down significantly, but my progress shattered as I saw an unfamiliar red car parked in the driveway.

_She's really here, she's really here. She's right inside - Bella, you're competition is right inside._

Edward insisted I had nothing to worry about, but how could I not? She was a perfect vampire, and she wanted Edward. _She_ wanted _Edward_.

And what if she _got him_?

What if she won?

I would lose in so many ways.

I twisted my hands together uneasily, feeling the sweat on my skin. I swallowed loudly, trying to expel the negative thoughts from my mind, trying to gain back my perspective.

I knocked lightly on the front door. It felt foreign to me, as if I had never been here before. In fact the whole house looked strange, new. I didn't belong here.

Carlisle opened the door and smiled.

"Come on in," he said quietly, holding the door ajar for me.

I could hear voice in the other room, laughter. The Cullens stood around Tanya - who had her back facing toward me - and looked totally taken aback by her. It was clear they hadn't seen her for a long time.

"How's Carmen?" Esme asked politely.

"Oh, she's great, she's actually thinking of-" Tanya stopped mid sentence, jerking her head to the side. She turned around to look at me. Her eyes pierced mine in a calm way. It was strange to look into her eyes. I expected her beauty, yet it still made me gasp a little. Her long hair was strawberry blonde (as Edward had told me), but was even glossier than I'd imagined. Her full lips were stained with red lipstick, highlighting their perfect shape and volume. Her huge golden eyes quickly examined me, and then she smiled, her lips curling back to expose her gleaming white teeth.

"You must be Bella," she said softly, in the kind of voice an adult uses when talking to a small child. I saw Edward nod encouragingly at me from the corner of my eye, so I moved closer.

She took my hand in hers and I couldn't stop it from shaking. She cupped my hand in both of hers softly.

"Oh," she said quietly, glancing down at my hand. "Oh, you poor thing! You're shaking!"

I tried desperately to fight off the blush, but it was all to no avail.

"How _sweet_! Look at that blush!" Although her words were kind, there was something off about the delivery. It was as if she was being cruel but sugar-coating it. Or as if she was being deliberately polite, but trying to humiliate me in the process - so that she would look innocent, whereas I would look like a fool who took it all the wrong way.

Maybe I was just being paranoid.

If she were really being unkind than Edward would surely scold her.

Tanya released my hand, letting it drop back to my side. She looked down at me and something caught her eye.

"What's _this_?" She said teasingly, looking behind her to smirk at Edward playfully.

She picked up my left hand and ran her thumb over my engagement ring.

"You gave her your mother's ring, Edward?" Tanya asked quietly.

"Yes, I did," he replied kindly, smiling back at her.

I felt a pang of jealousy. Edward had shown Tanya his mother's ring before?

"It's been such a long time since I've seen this pretty thing," Tanya said, twisting my arm to admire the sparkle from the diamonds' reflection in the light.

"I remember when you showed it to me. You gave me this charm that day, too," she smiled, twisting her wrist to raise her sleeve high enough to expose the glistening gem that hung from a silver chain. I squeezed my left hand and Tanya glanced at me curiously.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" She asked, worried. Something about her tone was off again, as if she secretly hoped that she _was_ hurting me.

"Not at all," I choked out. She dropped my hand anyway.

"So, how are the wedding plans coming along?" Tanya asked, moving back to stand beside Alice.

She wrapped her arm around Alice's waist and Alice reciprocated.

So she was going to steal Alice away from me as well. I glanced at the ceiling to stop the tears.

"Oh, and Edward?" Tanya asked suddenly, "Have you written any more pieces recently? I would love to hear you play!" Tanya clapped her hands together as she walked towards Edward's piano with him. She touched his shoulder and I felt my hands turn to fists at my sides.

The rest of the Cullens filed away in all different directions, leaving me standing in the living room alone.

* * *

Tanya kept Edward busy.

I spent the rest of the night sitting on the bottom step with Alice. She rambled on in my ear about centrepieces for the wedding tables, but I wasn't really listening.

I surveyed the two together. I watched every touch of their hands, as they played the piano, every laugh as their conversations turned nostalgic.

Alice sighed suddenly, and abruptly she stood up, pivoted and ascended the staircase without looking back at me. I heard a door slam shut.

I didn't see Alice again that night.

I leaned my cheek against the railing and tried desperately to ignore how irritating Tanya's laugh was to me.

"Hey Bells," Emmett said as he sat down beside me.

"Hey, Em."

"Wanna go do something?" He asked, resting his palms on the step behind us.

"No, I should probably go home anyway, Charlie will be getting hungry."

Emmett nodded, but stayed where he was.

I walked towards Edward and waited patiently behind them. Edward didn't turn around to say goodbye.

After five minutes I gave up. I huffed loudly with annoyance and slammed the front door behind me. As I turned back, I saw Edward and Tanya staring at me in shock through the glass.

I just stared back for a minute, before turning away, hunching my shoulders and pulling the hood of my sweatshirt up to shield my hair from the rain.

I sat in my truck, expecting Edward to come and find me; to ask me what was wrong.

He never came.

* * *

I turned over in my bed and stared outside the open window. Edward was usually here by now, climbing lithely through the open window and curling himself up next to me.

But tonight he had better things to do.

I felt a tear slide down my cheeks as I thought about Alice. I had insulted her by ignoring her tonight. I wondered if she would be back to her cherry happy self by tomorrow. I wondered if she would hold a grudge.

I continued to stare out the window again, and wondered if I should just shut it. Edward would be here by now.

I wondered if he was mad at me for making a scene. Had I embarrassed him?

_"Oh, Tanya, don't worry about her. She's just being silly."_

She's just being silly. She's just a human.

She's nothing.

It was very unlike Edward to not follow me, to ask me what was wrong, why I was upset. Did he care? Perhaps he thought there was nothing wrong. Perhaps he had nothing to say.

I pushed the covers down my legs and rolled out of my small bed. Sighing, I walked the short distance across my creaky floorboards and slammed the window shut, as loudly as I could. I grunted with anger and slapped the window frame hard. Hard enough that my palm stung.

I watched the glass shiver for a moment, before I returned to my bed.

* * *

Thoughts? (:

I know it's a little sad, but there will be a happy ending - promise! Next chapter is almost done.


	2. Heartache

_I do not in any way own 'Twilight', the characters or anything. This is purely for fun and for entertainment purposes only._

* * *

2. Heartache

* * *

BPOV

I debated whether or not I should even go to the Cullens house. With Alice being angry at me, and Edward probably embarrassed by my behaviour the night before, I really couldn't think of a reason why they would _want_ me to show up.

However, I did have plans with Alice, plans that had been made well before Tanya invaded on our lives.

A part of me knew it was wrong to blame Tanya. She was a close friend of the Cullens, and Edward showed no signs of being annoyed with her: maybe her visit really was innocent. Maybe I was getting jealous and angry for no good reason, and I deserved to be 't Edward told me that Tanya understood nothing could happen between them?

I scooped my keys of the kitchen counter and headed for the door.

* * *

The same unfamiliar car was parked in the Cullens' driveway. I parked my ancient truck and walked slowly up the stairs of the porch, pausing at the front door.

Unlike last night there were no sounds inside. None that _I_ could hear anyway, no sounds of laughter and banter.

I knocked lightly on the door and waited.

Carlisle, again, greeted me and invited me in. The house was pleasantly quiet. Alice sat on the small sofa with Jasper, Emmett had a laptop on the small table in front of him. The others were nowhere to be seen.

Carlisle quietly disappeared upstairs as I walked towards Alice.

"Hey Alice," I said, trying to sound chipper.

"Oh, hey Bella," Alice said, distracted. She looked up at me, nodded, and then looked back down at her magazine.

"So, you ready to get started on the wedding plans?"

Alice closed her magazine and set it down, looking up at me with an apologetic expression.

"Yeah, about that. Um, I thought about it last night, and I think that maybe you should, you know, make the decisions from now on. It's your wedding, not mine."

I gaped at her like a fish.

"What do you mean? Are you saying that you don't want to help me plan the wedding any more?"

She paused and looked at Jasper, uncomfortable.

"I really think it's for the best that you do it on your own. I mean, last night…You seemed really distracted, you weren't listening to me. I think that - for the sake of my sanity, your sanity and our friendship - you should do it alone. I have the numbers for the florist and some caterers, if you'd like them."

"Alice, I _was_ distracted last night. A lot happened. And I'm sorry for being rude, it's just-"

Alice raised her palms to me, cutting me off.

"It's okay Bella, no need to explain. I'll go get you those numbers," she said, before standing up and disappearing up the stairs as she had last night.

It took me a moment to regain myself.

"Hey, Jasper. Is Edward upstairs?" I asked.

The polite blond looked up at me and smiled.

"Yes."

I nodded my thanks and slowly ascended the stairs, using the time to figure out what to say to him, how to apologize.

_Edward, I was a total idiot. I'm sorry. _

I sighed and headed for his bedroom. His door was closed, so I lightly tapped on it, lighter than I had the front door, and waited.

The door swung open to reveal Tanya.

"Oh, hello Bella," she said.

"Um, hi."

Edward appeared behind her and looked at me, his expression unreadable. I spotted the CD cover in Tanya's hand, and heard the soft music playing through Edward's stereo.

"Uh, Edward, can I talk to you for a minute?"

He nodded and excused himself, shutting his door behind him.

"I'm sorry for last night," I said, watching as his face grew confused.

"What was wrong? I meant to find you and ask, but I got caught up with Tanya," he said, gesturing towards is room.

"I don't know…I guess I was jealous."

"_Jealous_? Of what? Of Tanya and I?"

I nodded.

"Bella, Tanya is a good _friend_. That's all. You know that, you have no reason to be jealous. I haven't seen her for so long, we have a lot to catch up on."

"I know," I sighed. "I was just being silly. I mean, she seems really nice, it's just she's so…_perfect_, and I can't help but-"

He cut me off.

"Bella," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "_Nothing_ is going on between Tanya and I."

"I believe you, I trust you. It's just I don't _know_ her, and you said she showed an interest in the past and I-"

"Bella, that was the _past_."

"I know."

"Alright," he said.

"So, what are we going to do today?" I asked, taking one of his hands in mine.

"I was just showing Tanya some new music I'd discovered that I thought she'd like. And then Alice and I were going to hunt with her, show her the wildlife Forks has to offer."

"Oh," I said, looking down at his hand. "I was kind of hoping you could help me decode some of this wedding stuff, Alice thinks it's best if I do it myself."

"It can wait, can't it?"

"Well, I suppose so," I said, trying to hide my disappointment.

"It's just that I already planned out the day with Tanya-"

This time I cut him off.

"Yeah, I _noticed_," I said, dropping his hand. "Now that _she's_ here, she's your number one priority. What, I should just step aside?"

"Bella, stop it. It's not like that. And I thought you just said you weren't jealous."

"Yeah, well maybe I _am_, Edward."

"You have no _reason_ to be."

"Could you at least _try_ to look at this from my perspective?" I asked, raising my voice.

"Well, you never seemed to with Jacob, did you?" He said, taking a step back, his voice growing harsher. "Whenever you spent time alone with him, you never took into account _my _feelings, did you? I was jealous too, Bella," he said, the words whipping out stung.

"I cannot believe you're throwing that in my face," I said coldly. "That is _completely_ different." The reminder of Jacob, and how I'd hurt him, made my eyes ache. I could feel the tears coming.

"_How_ is it different, Bella? _How_? And what do you expect me to do? Just desert Tanya, despite the fact that she is only visiting for a few days, just so that you won't be ridiculous?"

"I expect you to want to spend time with _me_," I shouted. "I'm you're _fiancée_, we're engaged, remember? Or have you already forgotten."

I turned away from him and ran towards the stairs, rushing down them and out the front door.

I slammed it shut, as I had the night before, and let the sobs escape me.

I climbed into my truck, slammed that door as well and started the engine. As I drove I began to cry harder, driving with one arm, while I used the other to wipe the tears away. When driving became impossible I pulled into the curb and parked. I cut the engine and began to gently twist my engagement ring. I hated arguing with Edward. We very rarely disagreed on anything.

I ran back over the conversation in my mind, thinking of how much it had hurt when he made me feel guilty about Jacob. He knew that wound was still fresh, that I still beat myself up about hurting Jacob, _and_ about hurting Edward. I had apologized profusely to Edward after kissing Jacob, although he'd insisted I had nothing to apologize for.

Now it appeared I _had_.

It was all wrong. Edward and I should be blissfully happy. We were getting married - something Edward had wanted for a long time. We were going to start our future together. And now everything had crumbled around us.

I was being an idiot.

I started my truck again and turned around, heading back to the Cullen house. Edward must've been feeling exactly the same way. I needed to at least give Tanya a chance, get to know her.

And then Edward and I can get over this small bump in the road, and move on.

I parked my truck where it had only just been a few moments ago, and cut the engine, jumping out it and running towards the front door.

I waved quickly to Emmett and Jasper, who both glanced up at me in shock. I ran upstairs and straight to Edward's room, shocked that I hadn't tripped, and opened his door.

But they weren't there. I walked inside and looked around his room, looking for a sign, something to show me where they might've gone.

I glanced out his windows and saw them. They were walking towards the woods, and talking. And _laughing_. Carefree, happy. As if nothing was wrong, nothing had happened.

Edward seemed fine, not a wreck like me. Not feeling horribly regretful.

He was with _her_ and he was fine.

I backed away from the windows as the realization hit me.

He was with her and _happy_. He was coming to his senses, realising that he wanted to be with her. Not me.

_Not me_.

That was it then, game over.

_You lose, Bella._

Who knows, maybe they were off to plan _their _wedding. Anger flooded through me, just as harshly as the reality and the sadness.

I tore a piece of paper of a notebook that lay on his desk, and grabbed the pen that lay beside it. The tears flowed down my face as I wrote.

_Edward,_

_Here's your ring back. Give it Tanya, I bet she'll be ecstatic. It's what you want, isn't it? I'm sorry for not being good enough, I'm sorry for making a fool of myself._

_I'm sorry that I couldn't give you what you wanted._

_Bella._

I pulled Elizabeth Masen's ring off my finger and sat it on top of the letter. It never really belonged to me anyway.

And then I ran. Back out of his bedroom, down the stairs, past a flustered-looking Emmett and Jasper and back to my truck.

* * *

Thoughts? (:


	3. Agony

_I do not in any way own 'Twilight', the characters or anything. This is purely for fun and for entertainment purposes only._

_A/N: This chapter has some graphic content. It's not _too_ bad, but still worth mentioning._

* * *

EPOV

"_Where is she?_" I asked Alice frantically, tugging on my hair as my mind ran over the horrible possibilities, jumping to conclusions.

"She's on her way to the airport," Alice said, panicking as she tried to search through numerous visions.

"Why is she going th-" I cut myself off, as the light that bounced off diamonds caught my eye. I walked slowly towards my desk, as slow as I would if I were the old man I should be by now.

There sat my mother's ring atop a small note. My heart broke as I picked up the paper, noting the small stains splattered over it from Bella's tears.

_Edward,_

_Here's your ring back. Give it Tanya, I bet she'll be ecstatic. It's what you want, isn't it? I'm sorry for not being good enough, I'm sorry for making a fool of myself._

_I'm sorry that I couldn't give you what you wanted._

_Bella._

I collapsed to the floor, holding the note in one shaky hand, the ring in the other. Of course she'd given the ring back. I didn't deserve her.

Bella had been right all along. Tanya only visited us to destroy Bella and I. I had dismissed her just moments before. She'd been hiding it all along.

I don't deserve her.

I'd believed Tanya over Bella, trusted Tanya over Bella.

I was a fool.

A fool who didn't deserve her.

A rotten, pathetic, undeserving fool, who had ruined everything.

I'd been so unkind, so _cruel_.

Heartless.

Merciless.

I had tainted the one perfect thing in my life. She was everything, she was the _only _thing. My gravity, my air, my home, my love, my life…my wife.

And I had ruined her. Ruined _us_.

Why?

"C'mon, Edward! Bella's going to Florida, she's going back to her mother, we have to _hurry_! She's on her way to the airport, get _up_!"

"I don't deserve her," I whispered. "I've ruined everything."

_I'm sorry that I couldn't give you what you wanted._

Oh, Bella. You are more than I could ever _imagine_.

"She's gone. She's left me."

"No, c'mon, this _isn't _over!" Alice screeched, tugging on my arm. "When you explain, she'll understand, she'll come back."

I found my way to my feet and ran straight past Alice. I grabbed Carlisle's keys and headed out the door.

* * *

I made it to the airport, but Bella...didn't.

I searched the entire car park for her truck, but it was nowhere to be found. I searched through the minds of the humans inside again, but all to no avail. I climbed back into the car and drove towards Charlie Swan's house, taking the roads Bella would've, searching for her.

I wondered angrily why Alice hadn't called me, and quickly realised that in my haste I had forgotten to grab my cell phone.

And then I saw it.

Nothing could have compared to the agony, the burning, searing pain. The venom during my transformation: nothing.

This was shear agony, gut-wrenching torture.

Bella's rusted truck mangled, the entire front crushed against a large tree. The windscreen smashed, glass shattered all over the asphalt. The metal was twisted where it met the bark, showing the extent of the impact. The force, the speed.

Bella's fragile body. Tiny Bella. My Bella.

Metal and impact, and Bella.

An ambulance was parked nearby.

I stumbled towards the horror scene, as Bella's blood assaulted my senses. I saw her then, her hair matted with blood, her cheek pressed up against the drivers' window, her blood smeared against it, like she hand slid down it. Her eyes were closed. Blood covered her, all over her neck, dripping from a large gash on her forehead. I felt like screaming, my skin on fire, like I was being burnt with acid. I wanted to reach up and tear my flesh away from my body, as I stared at Bella's mangled body.

_All because of me_.

Two male paramedics lifted her out and put her on the waiting stretcher, and then realisation hit me. I ran towards the men.

"Help me!" I yelled. The two men glanced at me.

"Who are you?" One of them asked.

"She's my fiancée!" I yelled desperately, sinking to the ground. I felt two arms wrap around me. Esme.

"Edward, it's alright," Esme said, her voice sounding thick with tears.

"She's going to be okay, Edward," Alice said.

I began to sob. My entire frame shook, my body caving in and collapsing, Esme's arms the only thing keeping me from colliding with the pavement.

"We'll meet her at the hospital."

"_No_," I choked out, pulling myself free from their arms. I ran towards the ambulance as they started to close the doors. "I'm going with her," I said, shoving past them and climbing in.

Bella had never looked frailer, more vulnerable. I reached out and stroked her hand, as softly as I could. I prayed that she would take me back. I prayed that she would recover quickly.

As I leaned back in my seat, my eyes never leaving Bella's face, I remembered my final conversations with Tanya.

"_Is Bella alright?" Tanya asked as we walked through the woods. I sighed loudly and shook my head in disbelief.._

"_She's being silly. She thinks there's something going on," I said, gesturing toward her, "Between you and I."_

_Tanya laughed lightly. "And what makes her think that?"_

"_It's because we've been spending time together. She doesn't understand that it's been a while since we've seen each other."_

"_Well, I'm sure she'll come around soon enough."_

"_I hope you're right."_

_There was a long pause, before something changed. Tanya began to guard her thoughts, counting backwards from one hundred._

"_Tanya?" I asked, confused._

_She looked at me - the same way she'd looked at me a long time ago. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine._

"_Tanya!" I exclaimed, shoving her off me._

"_What? Bella isn't around. Edward, she's holding you back. You and I - we click. We match. _We_ belong together. It's okay," she purred, leaning back towards me._

"_No!" I said, shoving backward again. "No it is _not_ okay."_

"_Don't fight it, Edward."_

"_This is why you came here, isn't it! I can't believe this! Bella was right! Tanya: just go."_

"_No, I'm not going anywhere without you."_

_I shook my head, furious, and turned away from her. She grabbed my arm and tried to yank me back to her._

"_No!" I shouted._

A small, muffled cough brought me back to the present, and I looked back to Bella. Her eyelid fluttered open and closed again.

"Bella?" I asked, moving beside her and kneeling down. "Bella, love? Can you look at me? Can you open your eyes?"

Bella groaned quietly, the oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth muffled the sound.

"It's okay love. Everything's okay."

I pressed a feather-light kiss to her forehead, avoiding the bandaged gash (knowing it would be tender), and leaned back. A small tear dropped from Bella's eye, running down over her cheekbone before falling off her chin.

"I'm so sorry, love," I choked out, brushing her hair back. "This is all my fault."

Bella lifted her head half an inch, as if she were trying to shake it.

"No, love, rest. It's alright," I whispered. "Shh, we'll discuss it all later. Just rest."

* * *

"She'll have a bad concussion," Carlisle announced as he walked into the room.

I glanced around, looking at the faces of my family. Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper and then back to Carlisle.

"And what else?"

"She has a broken ankle, a few bruises, cuts…some significant blood loss."

I nodded, trying to dislodge the horrific memories of Bella's bloody, broken body.

"How'd she hurt her head?" Emmett asked.

"When she hit the tree, the force knocked her head back and, by the looks of things, she hit it into the glass of her window."

I shuddered violently as I remembered seeing the broken glass, the blood smeared against it.

I lifted Bella's heavily bandaged hand, and clasped it between both of my palms.

"When will she wake up again?" I asked Alice desperately.

"Any minute now."

I kissed her hand and kept my lips there, on the small patch of exposed skin. I wished I could take it back. I wished I could take it _all_ back.

I wished I had listened to Bella, and insisted that Tanya not visit until the wedding. I wished I had of gone after her when she slammed the front door. I wished I hadn't yelled at her.

I wished I hadn't mentioned Jacob; reignited that pain.

I saw it in her eyes, the hurt, the shock.

I had hurt her so much.

_It's what you want, isn't it? _

I had hurt her _so_ much, that she called off the wedding. She gave the ring back. She thought I wanted Tanya.

I would never speak to _Tanya _again.

The anger of remembering her devious plan made my lip curl back over my teeth.

Bella squeezed my hand and began to slowly open her eyes. Thick with the anaesthetic Carlisle had just given her, she squeezed my hand once more, before loosening her grip with exhaustion.

"Hello Bella, welcome back to the land of the living," Emmett said, his voice deliberately low and slow.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Step back, you're crowding her," I warned.

"Fine," he huffed, before slumping back in his chair and turning the small television on.

"Ed-wa-r-d," Bella stuttered, he voice still muffled by the oxygen mask.

"Shh," I soothed, kissing her hair. "Don't strain yourself."

"So-rr-y," She said. "S-o…Stu-p-id," she muttered, her voice similar to that of a patient with hypothermia. It sounded like she was shivering.

"No," I whispered, stoking her hair. I was relieved that the nurses had quickly cleaned her up. The violent memory returned, haunting me again.

_Blood mattered her hair._

"_I'm_ the stupid one."

"No-oo," she whispered.

"You were right," I whispered. "You are _always _right. I really need to start _listening_ to you."

I laughed lightly and I saw Bella's lip twitch, as if she were trying to smile.

Her beautiful full lips. A small cut ran diagonally through the bottom one. My favorite one.

I sighed.

"Wha-t…hap-p-en-d?"

"You were in an accident love. You were upset, heading towards the airport to run away from me."

Bella tried to shake her head, but I stopped her, holding it still.

"Shh," I whispered. "Alice saw your decision, so I drove to the airport, but you didn't make it. I found you when the paramedics were getting ready to load you into the ambulance."

"My…tr-u-ck?"

I chuckled. Of _course_ Bella would be worried about her ancient junk metal.

"I'm sorry to say it wasn't so lucky."

"An-y-on-e…els-e hu-r-t?"

"No, only you."

I pressed my palm into the side of her cheek - the undamaged one - and felt her face slightly bend into it. She closed her eyes, her eyelashes wet.

"Are you in pain, love?"

"No-oo," she whimpered.

"Oh, Bella," I whispered. Kissing her pretty face. "It's all over now. Tanya's gone: I doubt I'll ever speak to _her_ again. And you're going to heal."

Bella continued to rest against my hand, and I looked down, to see her left hand looking hideously bare.

"Bella, can you ever forgive me? Is it possible? Is there even a small, miniscule chance?"

Bella's eyelids fluttered.

"O-f…co-urs-e...I...fo-r-gi-ve...yo-oo-u," she whispered, tears leaking out again.

"Really?" I whispered into her ear, my eyes closing, my lashes tickling her cheek.

"Ye-ss."

"Okay love, you're exhausted. Try to get some sleep, I'll be right here. I won't go anywhere. I promise."

She closed her eyes slowly and I felt the full weight of her face in my hands.

After a few moments I pulled out her ring and slid it back onto its rightful place. On the third finger of her left hand.

* * *

Thoughts? (:

There's more to come. Thanks for all the lovely reviews!


	4. Distances

_I do not in any way own 'Twilight', the characters or anything. This is purely for fun, and for entertainment purposes only._

* * *

4. Distances

* * *

I woke up disorientated.

More than disorientated: completely perplexed.

I felt a light squeeze of my left hand and glanced down. There Edward sat, looking toward me anxiously. Elizabeth Masen's ring was back on my third finger.

"Bella?" Edward asked, as he raised one eyebrow. "Are you alright?"

I tried to take it all in: the IV drip, the astonishing pain in my ankle and the pounding of my head. The hand Edward held was bandaged. I was in a lumpy hospital bed.

_Why was I at the hospital?_

"Bella, you're scaring me," Edward said.

_You're scaring me, too._

"What…What happened?"

"You were in a car accident, Bella. Don't you remember? You were talking to me yesterday about it."

"I _was_?" I asked, disbelieving.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

My memories were hazy, like I was looking at them through cellophane, or cracked glass. I couldn't quite make it all out.

"You and I…Were fighting? I remember yelling…," I whispered, trying to remember the gaps in the memory.

"We did have an argument, a few days ago Bella. For which I'm _extremely_ sorry for."

"It was because of Tanya," I said, as more details fell into place.

"Yes."

There was a long moment of silence between us, but that wasn't what was making me uncomfortable. I felt far away from Edward, very far. There was a sense of disconnection between us, as if I was watching him on a television screen, not here, in front of me.

The last memory I had of us was not this supposed 'talk' we had about everything. Instead it was of a hideous fight, and argument that had left me in tears. Not that it was all Edward's fault - it was mine as well. We had crumbled that night: our relationship had buckled under the weight of our problems.

_Hadn't Edward promised that he'd never hurt me again? _

We had both made a lot of promises that we'd never followed through on.

I didn't know what to say, what to do. I still didn't even understand why I was here.

_A car crash?_

I didn't remember any of that.

Edward placed my hand back at my side and moved closer to me. He planted a kiss on my forehead and I flinched.

_What?_

I didn't even understand my own action. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling. Being kissed by Edward. Not at all. His cold lips on me - any part of me - was always the most amazing feeling in the world. But something inside of me was screaming at me. _This isn't right! Why are you letting him touch you like this?_

Edward looked down at me, more anxious than before, but it was more than that. He looked horrified, completely alarmed.

"Bella, what's wrong?"

"I…don't," I took a deep breath. "I don't _know_."

Edward reached out and stoked my cheekbone, and I flinched again. My good hand raised up and slapped at his hand, trying to shove it away.

"Why won't you let me touch you?" Edward asked, his voice was choked. He looked as if he'd be crying if it were possible.

"I don't _know_," I said, exasperated, confused and upset. "I just…A part of me doesn't want you to touch me. I don't know why! Something's changed! I mean…I don't know where I am, I don't know what happened! I can't remember anything! The last memory I have is of you and I arguing over Tanya!"

I threw my good hand up in exasperation.

"Bella, Tanya means _nothing_, okay? She was lying - you were right. I see that now!""But you didn't," I said, causing him to stop and freeze. "You believed her, over me," I whispered.

"I did. But that was stupid! Bella, you have to believe me," He said desperately, looking as if he wanted to take my hand again, but choosing against it.

"I don't even know who you are," I whispered. "You've made yourself a stranger to me now."

"No," Edward said, the word coming out choked. "Bella, no. I can fix this, please! Listen to me! Bella I'm still me, I'm still Edward. You know me, you _love_ me. And I love you, and that's all that should matter."

"I know, you're right."

Edward relaxed at my words, and sat back down, taking my hand again. Hurt crossed his face when I slipped my hand back away from his.

"But it's not all that matters. So much has happened in the last few days…Maybe I'm just disorientated, and maybe I'll come to my senses soon, but right now…," I paused, looking at Edward. He looked so helpless. His eyes were glued to my palm, to the ring that sat there. His bottom lip shook. I hated hurting him. I hated that I couldn't just myself go; let the last three days go. I hated that I couldn't just pull him towards me, kiss him and move on.

But I had to listen to my instincts, to my heart.

"I need some time," I said.

* * *

Edward kept his distance, as I had requested.

I was officially allowed to return home, and leaned against the reception counter of the hospital while Charlie signed the necessary paperwork.

"You okay, kiddo?" He asked as he handed the receptionist back her pen.

"I'm not sure," I said, leaning into his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around me, helping my walk with my damaged ankle. "Edward and I are just going through a rough patch, is all."

Charlie nodded and sighed. He'd been there before.

"Bella, do you think that maybe this has something to do with the engagement? Are either of you having second thoughts, because maybe you should just hold off on the thing, at least for a little while."

"I don't think that's it, maybe we just need a bit of time apart."

"Alright," He said, helping me into the car. He took to the driver's seat and paused as he held the key, not putting it in the ignition.

"Bella, I only want what's best for you. Just think it through, alright? Don't rush into things, you have _plenty _of time. You're still so young. I just don't want to see you make sure a huge mistake."

"We're going to spend some time apart," I said quietly, twisting my engagement ring. I didn't want to give it back. I knew that for certain. I wanted it: I wanted to have it on me, the symbol of our promise.

This one promise we'd keep.

We would make this work. We _had _to.

"I just need some time to recover," I said, gesturing towards my bandaged ankle.

Charlie nodded and drove us home. He didn't say anything else to me after that.

* * *

Sleeping without Edward by my side was harder than I would've imagined.

I half expected him to climb through my window, but he kept away. Just like he'd promise.

Another promise he'd keep.

I rolled over onto my side, pulling the covers with me, and tucking them under my chin. I could see the outline of my cell phone, sitting there on my bedside table.

I thought about calling Edward, reassuring him that I was okay, that I wanted him here, but that I simply _couldn't _yet.

I wondered where Alice was with the wedding plans. I remembered that she had told me she thought it best I plan it alone. Had she taken that thought back, all things considered, and decided to carry on with where she had left off.

I hoped so. I didn't know the first thing about planning a wedding.

I stared back at my cell phone. Edward was my first speed dial. He would answer after the first ring. His voice would be there: right _there_. I could hear the velvet, the relief in his voice due to my call. He'd be happy, or maybe just content. Pleased that I'd made the contact, that I wasn't having second thoughts about us.

Because the truth was I wasn't having second thoughts. I wanted it. I wanted it all: the wedding, the marriage, the transformation. Eternity. I still wanted it with all my might. I wanted to reach out and take it all, right then and there. I knew my feelings about that would never change, my love for Edward would never change.

That day we'd spent in the meadow, we had both been changed irrevocably. There was no reversing what had happened to us that day. I knew that for as long as I lived, I would love Edward.

So why was I being stupid and keeping us apart?

My fingers twitched as I thought about calling him again. Just to hear his voice. He was so close, and so far away at the same time. I gave in, I let myself win.

Reaching for the small phone my hands shook with eager excitement. I flicked the phone open and pressed Edward's speed dial. The cold phone pressed to my ear, I smiled widely.

As I had predicted, Edward answered after the first ring.

"_Bella_?" He asked, sounding somewhat breathless.

"Edward," I whispered. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"Alright," he said, just as quietly. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I still want you, in every way. I just think that this time apart will help us. When things are…clearer for me, when the lost memories return, I'm sure everything else will fall into place."

Edward sighed happily into the phone.

"I was petrified that you were going to end this."

"Never. But I'm curious, what would you do if I _did _end this?""Well, first of all I'd beg you to take me back. And if that failed I'd just always be there, in the background."

I smiled to myself and laughed lightly.

"You really wouldn't give up on me?"

"Never."

I paused for a moment, wishing (like I had a hundred times today) that I could just let it all go. That we could just go back to being together, in love.

"Edward?" I asked.

"Yes, Bella?"

"Could you do me a favor?"

"Anything," he whispered softly, his voice curious.

"Will you stay on the line with me, until I fall asleep?" I asked softly.

"I'll stay all night," he promised, "I'll never hang up, Bella. I'll never let go."

"That's all I'm asking for."

* * *

Thoughts? (:

p.s. I am totally in love with all of you who have reviewed, or added this story to your favorites, or both. Seriously, thank you all so much!


	5. Realisations

_I do not in any way own 'Twilight', the characters or anything. This is purely for fun, and for entertainment purposes only. _

* * *

5. Realisations

* * *

BPOV

The morning did not bring with it the relief I had hoped for.

Instead, I awoke groggy, sore and still devoid of the memories of the crash, or of my conversation with Edward after it. The pain in my ankle had increased tenfold, causing it to throb uncomfortably. I groaned as I sat up, staring at a picture on my wall to stop the room from spinning.

I really needed Edward.

I glanced at my cell phone, sitting back in its place on the small bedside table. There were no new messages, nothing for Edward or Alice or anyone.

Was Alice _still _upset with me? Despite the accident, was she still annoyed at me for not acknowledging the work she'd been putting into arranging our wedding? Maybe now she was annoyed at me for taking some time away from Edward, as no doubt he was upset by it. But he'd sounded so understanding on the phone last night, he'd even began humming my lullaby to me. It was like any other conversation we had over the phone, like when he'd call me while he was away hunting to check up on me, not completely satisfied by Alice's visions.

My thoughts drifted back to Alice. I remember that she'd had planned a small part of the wedding, but was not yet finished. Our wedding wasn't far away. Perhaps I should call her, or even visit.

The idea of seeing Edward made me smile.

I wasn't angry at him as such, more confused as to why he'd behaved so differently towards me when Tanya was around. It was like he was a completely different Edward then.

I climbed out of my bed and walked toward the window that Edward frequently used. My finger ran idly down the wooden frame.

I really needed to see him, just for a hour or two, just to reassure him that I was still fine. That I just needed a little more time. I was so frustrated by my memories. Carlisle had reassured me that they'd return any day now, but I wasn't so sure. I sunk to the floor and rubbed my temples, closed my eyes.

_Why can't I just remember?_

I tried to force them out, to break through the cloudy haze that covered that patch of memories. I got into my truck that night with the intention of fleeing to Florida. I thought that Edward didn't want me; that he'd realised that he really wanted Tanya.

I remembered crying - a lot. Was that how it had happened then? Had I been driving, tears streaming down my cheeks, disrupting my vision.

Yes.

It was.

I almost laughed with relief. I remembered it! I remembered being in my truck, fighting with the rain from outside and the rain from my eyes. Both were torrential downpour.

I had been so upset by my fight with Edward, so convinced that he wanted our relationship to end. Tanya had been with him, I'd seen them through his window, they were laughing…

And I had been thinking about that as I drove. I had reached for a handkerchief to dab under my eyes. I had only looked away for a second.

I pushed past the memory, trying to coerce the last missing memory out. The talk with Edward after the crash. The one he'd mentioned when I had fully woken up.

I had made a breakthrough though, a minor one yes, but a breakthrough none the less.

I needed to tell Edward about it, maybe he could tell me something about what happened during this missing conversation. Maybe that would help me to remember.

I ran down stairs pulling my coat on.

"Dad?" I asked, pulling my hair our of my collar and resting it down my back.

"Yeah, Bells?" Charlie asked from the kitchen table, the newspaper in his hands.

"Can you drop me off at the Cullens? I still can't drive, remember?"

He laughed lightly.

"Yeah, and you now have no vehicle either.""Oh, that's right."

Charlie grabbed his keys and gestured for me to go through the door first.

* * *

The chief dropped me off near their driveway, as I had insisted he do so. I needed some air by then, my concussion was still very evident. I waved goodbye to him as I began walking towards their house.

I kicked a stone as I walked, trying to remember one last time before I faced Edward.

Nothing.

I sighed with annoyance and turned to walk down the driveway.

There, parked in the middle of the driveway, sat the unfamiliar red car.

I froze, trying to suck back in the anger which threatened to so quickly boil over. _She_ was here. I wasn't ready to see her again. I wasn't ready to see her ever.

I walked slowly toward the front door, unsure of what might be hidden behind it. It opened before I made it, just far enough that I could see Edward hugging Tanya. He let go of her and led her outside. Edward was saying something to her, but he stopped mid-sentence when he saw me.

Tanya froze also, and they both stared at me, looking guilty.

I shook my head with anger and turned around, running away.

"No," I heard Edward yell. I could hear him running behind me, his feet kicking up stones faster than mine were. And then his arms wrapped around my waist.

"Bella, listen! It's not what you think!"

I struggled to free myself.

"Let me go!" I yelled.

"No," He replied stubbornly.

"Let. Me. GO!"

I pushed his hands, trying to shove them off me, hoping that he'd lower his strength, free me.

"Bella _please_. She came here to _apologize_. She apologized for everything, Rosalie called her sometime when I wasn't around, she told her what happened to you."

"So now this is _Rosalie's_ business?" I said bitterly.

"Rosalie was just as mad at Tanya. They're…never seen eye to eye. Bella, Tanya feels awful for what happened to you - as she should. But she explained herself, her intentions. Bella, if you could just hear her out-"

I cut him off.

"I remember the crash," I said sharply. His arms dropped to his sides and he turned me around to face him.

"I remember driving to the airport in my truck, I was crying. I looked down for a second, and that was it."

"Do you remember what happened after that? Do you remember being in the ambulance? The hospital?""No."

We stood silent for a long moment, staring at each other. Edward looked miserable.

I couldn't help myself.

I stretched out towards him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Edward, I'm not ready yet. I thought I was, but I guess I'm not. Seeing _her_…Look, I don't care what she has to say, what _explanation _she has. What's happened has happened, it's over. But seeing you with her, it just reminds me of our fight, of that pain. I can't…I just can't."

I let him go and turned to walk away.

"Bella, how did you get here? Charlie?"

I nodded.

"Let me drive you home," he said, pulling me back with my hand. I let him.

We walked toward the Cullen's garage and I saw Tanya. She leaned against her car, looking extremely apologetic.

"Bella! I'm _so_ sorry!"

"Don't, Tanya," Edward warned, as the strawberry blonde headed towards us. She backed off and Edward continued to lead me towards his car.

* * *

"How do you feel? How's your ankle, your head?" Edward asked as he drove, insisting on holding my hand the entire way.

"My ankle isn't as sore anymore - it was when I woke up, but that's probably because I think I slept on it accidentally. My head hurts though."

I leaned back against the leather seat, and felt Edward's hand touch my forehead.

"I wish so badly that I could just make this right."

I sighed quietly in agreement. We didn't speak for a long while.

"So what's her excuse?"

He smirked a little bit, probably amused by the fact that I now wanted to know.

"She's been very lonely lately, and for some reason she figured that _our_ relationship wasn't that strong - despite the fact that we're engaged. She was being ludicrous and thought that I might've changed my mind."

He shook his head.

"It's quite weak an excuse, I know," he mused, "But I suppose you need to be able to read her mind, to know about her character her line of thinking to understand it. She's a creature of socializing. She needs to have _someone_. That first day we met she was feeling just as lonely, that's why she showed an interest. But when Rosalie called her, and told her you'd been hurt, she realized what she'd done."

"Why _did _Rosalie call her? I didn't think she really cared."

"Rosalie would never admit it, but she has grown accustomed to having you around. She likes that I'm happy, and when you told me you needed space, she grew worried. She was trying to fix things."

"Maybe she should just stick to cars," I said, a little rudely.

Edward chuckled and nodded.

"You're right, she _should_."

"I mean, remember what happened last time, with my cliff diving fun?"

He chuckled again.

"I believe that I _do_ remember that," Edward said, glancing at me the way he always did whenever that particular incident was mentioned. "I have never been more petrified in my life. Well, when I saw you after the car accident I was possibly a little more petrified."

I mulled over his thoughts and sat quietly, staring at the profile of his face. He didn't need to look at the road to drive us safely to a destination, but today he seemed content to.

"That's it," he said suddenly, coming to some sort of conclusion in his mind. "From now on we're doing what _you_ think is best. And when you're ready to decide that, you can tell me and we'll do it."

I smiled.

"First, we're waiting for this damn memory to come back."

He nodded.

When he pulled up outside Charlie's house I suddenly realised there was something I was still curious about.

"Is Alice mad at me?" I asked.

"No," Edward replied, confused. "Why would she be?"

"Because I remember that she was upset, remember? She wanted me to take over the wedding plans."

He laughed.

"What?" I asked, annoyed.

"She was being silly. She thought you were judging her creativity and plans. She was just waiting for you to come crawling back to her, begging her to plan the wedding. As silly as it is, she wanted to be proven the best wedding planner."

He rolled his eyes as I did.

"She actually feels incredibly stupid now. And she regrets hurting your feelings."

I sighed loudly.

"I suppose I should talk to her sometime soon about it."

"It can wait," he said, leaning across my body to open my door. "And so can I. Take all the time you need, alright? If you want I can call you tonight and sing you to sleep again?"

I smiled at him, warmly just like I always had before this whole mess.

"I would really like that."

He smiled back.

"Can I give you a goodbye kiss?" He asked, sounding a little embarrassed. I grinned and took his face in my hands, kissing him softly. My fingers tighten in his hair and I pulled him closer. He leaned his body around, pressing his chest against mine. I heard him groan softly, so I pushed against his lips harder.

When he pulled away he smirked, amused.

"Hurry up and remember so we can do more of _that_," he teased, his face glowing the way it always did when he was truly happy. I missed that face.

I touched his bottom lip, mesmerized as he parted his mouth. I gently tugged on it and he closed his eyes.

"I'll work on that," I replied, trying to sound sarcastic, though it came out as breathless.

I placed one more kiss against his lips, unable to resist, before I slid away and shut the door behind me.

"Bella?" He asked, rolling down the window.

"Yeah?"

"I love you. Don't ever forget that, alright?"

"I love you too."

I watched him drive away, smiling, before I turned and headed inside.

* * *

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There will be one more final chapter after this one, I've started it and it's going to be quite long. Thanks for all the reviews! I am loving this feedback! Don't forget to give me your thoughts on this one, too!


	6. Epiphany

_I do not in any way own 'Twilight', the characters or anything. This is purely for fun and for entertainment purposes only._

* * *

What was I doing?

Edward didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to be left hanging mid-air, while I chaotically tried to reassemble my thoughts. It was true that he'd wronged me, but he'd made a mistake. And so had I. We were both in the wrong, both caught up with our silly rollercoaster emotions. Tanya had been wrong also, but maybe if I'd given her a shot, let her apologize, maybe it would've taken off some of the pressure, so of the anger between Edward and I. I remembered our argument again.

_"Could you at least try to look at this from my perspective?" I asked, raising my voice._

_"Well, you never seemed to with Jacob, did you?" He said, taking a step back, his voice growing harsher. "Whenever you spent time alone with him, you never took into account my feelings, did you? I was jealous too, Bella," he said, the words whipping out stung._

He was right. I was asking him to do something for me, when he'd wanted the exact same thing for me just a few months ago.

"_Could you at least try to look at this from my perspective?"_

Such a simple question had led to a breakdown, a barrier between us. Sure Edward had hurt me by mentioning Jacob, but hadn't I deserved it? I tried my best to look at the situation clinically, from Edward's perspective.

The way he had seen the situation was totally different to the way I had. Of course he'd think I was being totally out of line, totally unreasonable. Tanya was a friend (before he realised her stupid plan), and he wanted to catch up with her. Spend time with her.

Wasn't that exactly what I had wanted with Jacob?

And Jacob had his plans as well, and Edward had known about them. And my female intuition led me to believe that Tanya had ulterior motives also.

And we had both been right on the mark.

So why was I keeping him so far away? It all seemed very juvenile and silly now.

I sprinted to the bathroom, changing as fast as my hands would allow it. I bolted down the stairs, pulling my sweater on.

"Charlie you _have_ to drive me to the Cullen's house. Now."

Charlie raised an eyebrow at me, sceptical.

"Bella, what's got you so worked up? More drama with Edward?"

"I actually owe him an apology, so _c'mon_!" I said, gesturing toward the door. "Hurry up," I muttered with annoyance as he took his time finding his keys.

"I think you owe _me_ and apology as well, Bells," Charlie said teasingly as I shoved him out the front door.

"One male at a time, please."

* * *

I said a very brief thanks to Charlie, before I shut the passenger door and ran toward the house. The unfamiliar red car was nowhere to been seen.

Good. As much as I felt bad about being rude to her, I was glad she wouldn't be a member of the audience for the 'Bella was a total idiot and she's sorry' spectacle. I hated the thought that she might get some satisfaction from that.

I pulled the front door open, not bothering to knock, and came to a standstill in front of Emmett and Carlisle, who both stood in the living room. I put my hand on my side, out of breath, and leaned forward slightly.

"Edward-," I muttered, taking deep breaths. "Where…Is…He?"

"Upstairs," Emmett said, confused.

"Okthanks," I breathed, before pulling myself up the stairs, holding onto the railing.

"You're so unfit!" Emmett yelled from below. I ignored him, promising to deal with him later. Edward opened his bedroom door and looked worriedly at me.

"Are you alright?"

"Sure," I replied, still breathing in deeply. "Man, I really need to work on my cardio."

Edward laughed, amused as he took my hand and led me into his room.

"You're in a much better mood today, it's nice to see."

"Edward, I remember everything!" I said, the words bursting out.

"You do?"

"Yeah. I remember that you _were_ with me. In the ambulance, in the hospital. And I owe you a _huge _apology."

Edward raised his hands toward me.

"_You_ owe _me_ an apology? How do you figure that."

"Well, you see: Tanya is to you what Jacob is to me. Or was anyway. I was being totally unreasonable. I didn't take into account your feelings when I was around Jacob, and I thought that _you_ were being unreasonable by keeping me away from him, when I see now that it was all just for my own good. So I'm sorry for being so unreasonable with Tanya. Even though she was trying to break us up at first, and you didn't see that, it was still wrong of me to be so rude and upset. And I owe you another apology," I said, taking Edward's hands in mine."Another?" He asked, his tone a little disbelieving. I nodded and he gestured for me to begin.

"I'm sorry for pushing you away," I said, rubbing circles on the palm of his left hand. "It was mean. I know that I was struggling to remember everything, but that gave me no reason to do that to you. I shouldn't have shoved you away, I should have pulled you in closer," I whispered the last part, peeking up at him through my lashes.

He smiled and pulled me against him, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"You mean like this?" He asked, brushing his lips across my forehead.

"Yes, like this."

He gave me a quick squeeze before letting me go and moving back.

"Well, I forgive you, though there's really nothing to forgive."

I shrugged.

"Well, thank you then," I replied. He smirked and sat me down on his sofa, before taking his place beside me.

"Now it's my turn," he said. "I'm so sorry for ignoring you when Tanya was around. It was very wrong of me. I _promise_, it will never happen again. I too am guilty of pushing you away when I shouldn't have. And I'm also wretchedly sorry about the accident, and about your intentions that night. I still can't believe that I was so cruel to you that I made you want to leave the _state_. And me."

"I never wanted to leave _you_," I pointed out. He grinned.

"And I'm also sorry for that argument," he began, touching my bottom lip with his fingertip. "I was so cruel to you, Bella. I didn't mean to hurt you, not at all. I was just so frustrated by the situation. I'm so sorry," he whispered, before leaning his forehead against mine. "Can you forgive me for being such a cad?"

I laughed and kissed his cheek.

"Yes, I forgive you."

He pulled me against his chest, resting my chin on his shoulder.

"We're such idiots," I muttered into his shirt, the words coming out muffled.

"Yes, we are."

* * *

As we walked down the staircase, Edward played with my engagement ring, twisting it around my finger happily.

Alice stood where Emmett and Carlisle had been. She looked at us, before turning her face quickly away.

"Alice?" I asked, heading towards her. "Are you still mad at me?"

She shook her head, her face still away from my view.

"Than why are you hiding?"

"Because I'm sorry, Bella!" She blurted out, making me jump. She attacked me, throwing her arms around my neck and clinging to me for dear life.

"I'm the worst maid of honor in the history of maid of honors!" She sobbed into my shoulder.

"No you're not, Alice! And I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have ignored you like that. You're planning such a perfect wedding for Edward and I and I haven't even _thanked_ you yet."

She pulled away from me, still keeping her hands on my shoulders.

"You mean, I can still plan your wedding?" She asked, her pixie eyes brightening with hope.

"Of _course_."

Alice jumped up and down, giddy with excitement.

"Esme!" She yelled, before planting a kiss on my cheek. "Where's my headset? We're back in business! I need to call the florist!"

Edward rolled his eyes and smiled at me. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his chest. I felt his lips in my hair.

"Aw, you two!" I heard Emmett say. I pulled back, keeping my arms on Edward, and saw Emmett smiling at us like an idiot.

"You made up! Yay!"

Edward inhaled deeply, and I looked up at his face to see him roll his eyes at his brother.

"Hey, bro, have you shown Bells her new car yet?"

I raised my eyebrow at Edward accusingly.

"_What _new car?"

"You know you're a real jerk Emmett," Edward said.

* * *

EPILOGUE

Emmett smirked as Edward caved, announcing that he'd purchased a new car for me, to replace me truck. As annoyed as I was knowing that Edward had spent a large amount of money on me, I was relieved that Charlie wouldn't have to drive me anywhere.

Edward led me into the Cullens' garage, where Rosalie was covered in car gunk, wiping her forehead, more gunk on the back of her hand. Jasper sat on the hood of her convertible, chatting to her in car jargon as she worked.

Edward pulled me past the two blonds to a vehicle further away.

There, parked next to Edward's Volvo, sat an equally shiny new car. I walked forward, stroking my hand down the hood.

"Do you like it?" Edward asked, sounding a little worried. "If you don't, you can tell me. I can take you anywhere you want, you can pick out any car you want."

"Don't be ridiculous," I muttered before turning around to give him a smile. "Of course I love it."

Edward beamed and opened my new car's door. He reached down to retrieve something and stood back up, shutting the door behind him. He held out his palm and I examined the new set of keys in his hand.

I shyly took them and held them up, watching the light catch the metal.

"I'll have to wait for tomorrow to drive it," I said, sounding a little annoyed by that fact. "Concussion, remember?" I said, idly pointing to my head. Edward nodded understandingly.

"How are you injuries?" Edward asked curiously.

"My ankle's still sore…My head's okay."

He grinned before scooping me up into his arms, bridal-style.

"Well in _that_ case, I think it's best that I carry you everywhere, until your ankle is properly healed."

"Whatever you say, Dr. Cullen."

Edward grinned as he kissed me, and I heard a gagging sound from behind us. Edward turned as both around. Emmett had joined us in the garage, and he stood holding several tools in his arms.

"You two _really _need to go on your honeymoon. Do us all a favor and take her _far _away, Edward. We don't need to see any of that," Emmett said, gesturing towards us.

"Yes, because you and Rosalie are _so _discreet," Edward replied sarcastically.

"Hey!" Emmett said, jokingly annoyed. "You just _wait_ until Bella is a vampire, _then_ you'll understand the urges."

I scrunched my face up.

"Thanks for that Emmett," Edward said, before carrying me away from him.

"You'll see!" Emmett yelled after us. I glanced over Edward's shoulder to see Emmett waving his arms around. "You'll _all _see."

"He has some _serious_ issues," I muttered.

Edward chuckled.

* * *

The End.

* * *

Thoughts? (:

p.s. If you have any suggestions for other short stories I could write, don't hesitate to suggest them to me!


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